Poultry-crate



D. H. SPRECKELS.

POULTRY CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27. I918.

Patelited Jan.'27, 1920.

nrnnnrcn n. SPRECKELS, or DEXTER, MINNESOTA.

POULTRY-CRATE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J 311. 2'7, 1920.

Application filed March 27, 1918. Serial No. 225,059.

. To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Dinnnrorr H. SrREoK- ELS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dexter, in the county of Mower and ttate of ll iinnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Poultry- Crates; and I do hereby declare the followin to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention comprehends generally improvements in that class of inventions known as wooden receptacles and more particularly relates to an improved crate.

It is the primary aim and object of the present invention to provide a' device of the above mentioned character designed for holding fowls, such as chickens, the con struction thereof being novel in form to enable the owner to readily remove a desired chicken therefrom, without allowing others to escape.

More particularly the present invention contemplates the provision of a device of the above mentioned character wherein a partition is mounted transversely in the body for longitudinal movement and is designed to divide the body into two compartments, when held stationary, or when moved act as an ejector and a cleaner for the crate, as desired.

As a further improvement this invention consists in the provision of a crate of the above mentioned character wherein a handle of a novel form is employed for either sliding the partition or for holding the same stationary.

Among the other aims and objects of this invention may be recited the provision of a device of the character described with a view to compactness, and in which the number of parts are few, the construction simple and the cost of production low and the efficiency high.

Other improvements and novel details in the construction and arrangement of the various parts of the apparatus will be brought out more in detail in the description to follow, which for a clear understanding of the invention should be considered in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, and wherein is disclosed for the purpose of illustration a convenient and satisfactory embodiment of the invention. It is to be noted in this connection that minor, changes may be made without departing from the principle of operation of the various parts.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the.

accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 1s a perspective view of the device,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central section thereof, and

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Similar characters of reference areemployed in all of the above mentioned views, to indicate corresponding parts.

I Referring now, more particularly, to the accompanying drawings there is provided a crate the body of which is desirably of a rectangular configuration and comprises a bottom 1 to the respective ends of which are connected end walls 2, having door openings 3 therein, while opposed side walls 5 and a top 4 are connected to the corresponding outer edges of the end walls 2. The top ings 3,being held in a closed position by suitable fasteners 9.

As intimated, improved means have been provided for dividing the crate into compartments and for serving as an ejector and a cleaner for the crate; In reducing this feature of the invention to practice, a partition 10 which may be of substantial rectangular configuration to conform to the end walls is slidably mounted within the body of the crate and arranged in close relation with the adjacent inner surfaces thereof for longitudinal movement therein.

With a view to providing improved means for either holding the partition stationary to divide the body of the crate into two compartments, or actuating the partition so as to eject the fowls or serve as a cleaner, a handle is employed and consists of relatively movable sections 11 and 12 which may be and desirably are of rectangular configuration, being pivotally connected to each other by means of a hinge 13, the leaves of which are connected to the upper surfaces and near the adjacent ends of the sections, as indicated in the drawings. The inner section 11 of the handle has the inner end thereof secured in a recess 14 in the lower edge of the partition so as to lie flush therewith while both the inner section 11 and the outer section 12 of the handle are slidable through a recess 15 in the lower edge of one of theend walls and this recess of course alines with the recess 14 to permit of free sliding move..- ment ofthe handle; longitudinally. of the bodyof' the 'cr'ate. "Inthis connection itis to be observed that when the outersection is free of the body of the crate the same is designed to be swung upwardlvwhen desired, and arranged against theadjacent end wall of the crate so. as to retain the partition substantially mediallyof. the end walls and thus divide the body of the crate into two compartments in which fowls may be placed for shipping, as is apparent.

use; assumin-gthat the parts have been assembled in the manner described and as indicated in the drawings, especially in Fig. 2, when it is desired to remove, a certain chicken from. the body of the crate, the outer section 12 of the handle is engaged and.

swung downwardly, to register with the recess 15, which provides an opening, whereupon. the handle iseither moved: in the direction toward the forward end wall: or toward the rearend wall, the partition acting as. an ejector for moving the chickens in either ofthe compartments toward the cor- The door of course responding end wall. maybepartiallv openedand the owner may insert his therethrough and grasp any chicken "desired: When there are no chickens in the body of the crate, the handle may actuated so that the partitionwillactas a cleaner forthe bottom of the crate, as is apparent. Of course, when theparts are in the position indicated in Fig. 2, chickens or other fowl may be conveniently shipped therein, the arrangement} of the outer section 12 of the handle against the adjacent end wall serving to removably hold the partition in a substantially stationary position medially of the end walls of the body of the crate. It is believed in view of the foregoing description, that a further detailed description of' the operation of the invention is entirely unnecessary. Likewise, it is believed that the advantages of the invention will be read ily apparent.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

A crate including a body having end openings and doors for closing the same, a partition member fitting snugly within said body and slidable longitudinally thereof, and an adjusting member secured at one end to. the partition member and slidable through one end of said body, said adjusting member comprising two sections hingedly secured together at their adjacent ends and each approximately one-half as long as the .body whereby the partition member may be-moved in either direction for substantially the full interior length of the body and, by withdrawing the adjusting member for onehalf ofits length and turning the outer portion thereof upwardly against the adjacent end of: the body, the partition member may be secured in adjustment at the central portion of the body so as to divide the same into two separate compartments.

In testimony whereof I- affix signature in presence of two witnesses.

nmnnron H. srRnoKn s,

Witnesses:

L. C. CARDER', L. A. GARDER. 

